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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

I just wanted to say something about myself and the reason I have come to the boards here.

First of all: I am very far from being a computer Pro....more like I am a Toaster operator that is fixing the plug.....

That said I just built my first computer from scratch.... (actually 2 of them, one was a repair that turned into a total rework due to some bad diagnostics... the other is made of all the parts I got to fix the first one!)

At my tender age of 52, I'm now feeling quite Geeky .... after spending my life in the Microslap Zone I wanted to install Linux (bought the Slackware disks off a guy on eBay for a low price.... yeah I know, I could have down loaded them but that was a little while back.... when I could not figure out how to do that sort of thing) ....

I must say I am feeling quite bewildered as to how to get this going.... so I thought I would come by for a look at other peoples systems to see if there are any that look like mine and if they can get Linux running one them..... after a couple of install attempts yesterday I am about to bite the bullet and pony up the cash for another xp license but I really don't want to give up that easily.... now that I know how to do some of the stuff and I don't need this computer on line all that soon I'll try and learn what it is I need to do if it is possible.

If anyone has a clue as to what sort of things I need to do I sure would like to know if the basic system is Linux compatible.... because I get a load of error messages when I get to the end of the install procedure... most of them I don't have a clue about solving. (I know the computer is functioning because I have a donated hard drive that has some bogus copy of Windows on it, that ran great, with the "ultimate boot disk" that loaded enough drivers to get it rolling.) (I did look around to see if there were Linux issues with my hardware.... but so far could not determine if there are, as the compatibility issue lists, I've seen don't mention any of my gear.

Ram: 512 Kingston, I think...I can look that stuff up 333 mhz comes to mind. / either a USB mouse & keyboard or a PS2 rig are available/ the CD and Floppy appear to be working in Linux / 350 watt power supply

The Hard drive I'm using for this is a an old Western Digital 5.2 GB Ide / Eide (whatever) that I just had a functioning copy of XP Sp 2 on but wiped it when I partitioned it for Slackware .... (I'm not sure if I got That right but I used cfdisk to set up a "bootable first partition formatted in Linux 83 and another smaller one [non-bootable] as a "Swap" sector in Linux 83) Please let me know if this is incorrect, on the face of it.

I took photos of most of the things as I went along... because as mentioned I am really a total neophyte and have never even seen a functioning Linux system on line on a local computer.... and wanted to see if it would make toast! I thought I had better document my screw ups (So far.... except for the excitement of loading the files in, it has been a bust, in that department.... no Pop Tarts, baby!

Thanks for reading all this ... hope any response I might receive, it is not "past me"

If anyone wants to stear me towards another platform that would be OK too. I really just want to find an easy way to get this box up and running as a learning step.... after it rolls I can get into all the tweaking to fix slight issues.

Right now, I just want an "idiot install" .... if there is such a thing.... I may not have enough on the ball in this realm to get it going..... just the command line stuff reminds me of what was nice about leaving Win 3.1 / Dos 6.22 behind... feel free to tell me that this is not something to enter into with my skill set, if you must.